the enchanted island of yew-第21章

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Terribus　and　Wul…Takim　soon　restored　order；　and　then　they　accompanied　the　Ki　and　the　Ki…Ki　to　the　public　square；　where　the　people　were　informed　that　their　Supreme　Highnesses；　the　High　Ki；　had　been　reunited　and　would　thereafter　rule　them　with　twin　minds　as　well　as　twin　bodies。　　There　was　great　rejoicing　at　this　news；　for　every　twin　in　Twi　was　glad　to　have　his　troubles　ended　so　easily　and　satisfactorily。

That　night　the　ryls　and　knooks　and　other　invisible　friends　of　Prince　Marvel　came　and　removed　the　dividing　wall　between　the　twin　palaces　of　the　High　Ki；　repairing　speedily　all　the　damage　that　had　been　done。　And　when　our　friends　called　upon　the　High　Ki　the　next　morning　they　found　the　two　maids　again　dressed　exactly　alike　in　yellow　robes；　with　strings　of　sparkling　emeralds　for　ornament。　　And　not　even　Prince　Marvel　could　now　tell　one　of　the　High　Ki　from　the　other。

As　for　the　maids　themselves；　it　seemed　difficult　to　imagine　they　had　ever　existed　apart　for　a　single　moment。

They　were　very　pleasant　and　agreeable　to　their　new　friends；　and　when　they　heard　that　Prince　Marvel　was　about　to　leave　them　to　seek　new　adventures　they　said：

〃Please　take　us　with　you！　　It　seems　to　us　that　we　ought　to　know　something　of　the　big　outside　world　from　whence　you　came。　　If　we　see　other　kingdoms　and　people　we　shall　be　better　able　to　rule　our　own　wisely。〃

〃That　seems　reasonable；〃　answered　Marvel；　〃and　I　shall　be　very　glad　to　have　you　accompany　me。　　But　who　will　rule　the　Land　of　Twi　in　your　absence？〃

〃The　Ki…Ki　shall　be　the　rulers；〃　answered　the　High　Ki；　〃and　we　will　take　the　Ki　with　us。〃

〃Then　I　will　delay　my　departure　until　to…morrow　morning；〃　said　the　prince；　〃in　order　that　your　Highnesses　may　have　time　to　prepare　for　the　journey。〃

And　then　he　went　back　to　the　palaces　of　the　other　rulers；　where　the　Ki　expressed　themselves　greatly　pleased　at　the　idea　of　traveling；　and　the　new　Ki…Ki　were　proud　to　learn　they　should　rule　for　some　time　the　Land　of　Twi。

Wul…Takim　also　begged　to　join　the　party；　and　so　also　did　King　Terribus；　who　had　never　before　been　outside　of　his　own　Kingdom　of　Spor；　so　Prince　Marvel　willingly　consented。

The　fifty…eight　reformed　thieves；　led　by　Gunder；　returned　to　their　cave；　where　they　were　living　comfortably　on　the　treasure　Prince　Marvel　had　given　them；　and　the　Gray　Men　and　giants　and　dwarfs　of　Spor　departed　for　their　own　country。

In　the　morning　Prince　Marvel　led　his　own　gay　cavalcade　through　the　hole　in　the　hedge；　and　they　rode　merrily　away　in　search　of　adventure。

By　his　side　were　the　High　Ki；　mounted　upon　twin　chestnut　ponies　that　had　remarkably　slender　limbs　and　graceful；　arched　necks。　　The　ponies　moved　with　exactly　the　same　steps；　and　shook　their　manes　and　swished　their　tails　at　exactly　the　same　time。　　Behind　the　prince　and　the　High　Ki　were　King　Terribus；　riding　his　great　white　charger；　and　Wul…Takim　on　a　stout　horse　of　jet…black　color。　　The　two　ancient　Ki　and　Nerle；　being　of　lesser　rank　than　the　others；　brought　up　the　rear。

〃When　we　return　to　our　Land　of　Twi；〃　said　the　High　Ki；　〃we　shall　close　up　for　all　time　the　hole　you　made　in　the　hedge；　for；　if　we　are　different　from　the　rest　of　the　world；　it　is　better　that　we　remain　in　seclusion。〃

〃I　think　it　is　right　you　should　do　that；〃　replied　Prince　Marvel。　　〃Yet　I　do　not　regret　that　I　cut　a　hole　in　your　hedge。〃

〃It　was　the　hedge　that　delayed　us　in　coming　more　promptly　to　your　assistance；〃　said　Terribus；　〃for　we　had　hard　work　to　find　the　hole　you　had　made；　and　so　lost　much　valuable　time。〃

〃All　is　well　that　ends　well！〃　laughed　the　prince。　　〃You　certainly　came　in　good　time　to　rescue　us　from　our　difficulties。〃

They　turned　into　a　path　that　led　to　Auriel；　which　Nerle　had　heard　spoken　of　as　〃the　Kingdom　of　the　Setting　Sun。〃

Soon　the　landscape　grew　very　pleasant　to　look　upon；　the　meadows　being　broad　and　green；　with　groups　of　handsome　trees　standing　about。　　The　twilight　of　the　Land　of　Twi　was　now　replaced　by　bright　sunshine；　and　in　the　air　was　the　freshness　of　the　near…by　sea。

At　evening　they　came　to　a　large　farmhouse；　where　the　owner　welcomed　them　hospitably　and　gave　them　the　best　his　house　afforded。

In　answer　to　their　questions　about　the　Kingdom　of　Auriel；　he　shook　his　head　sadly　and　replied：

〃It　is　a　rich　and　beautiful　country；　but　has　fallen　under　great　misfortunes。　　For　when　the　good　king　died；　about　two　years　ago；　the　kingdom　was　seized　by　a　fierce　and　cruel　sorcerer；　named　Kwytoffle；　who　rules　the　people　with　great　severity；　and　makes　them　bring　him　all　their　money　and　valuable　possessions。　　So　every　one　is　now　very　poor　and　unhappy；　and　that　is　a　great　pity　in　a　country　so　fair　and　fertile。〃

〃But　why　do　not　the　people　rebel？〃　asked　Nerle。

〃They　dare　not　rebel；〃　answered　the　farmer；　〃because　they　fear　the　sorcery　of　Kwytoffle。　　If　they　do　not　obey　him　he　threatens　to　change　them　into　grasshoppers　and　June…bugs。〃

〃Has　he　ever　changed　any　one　into　a　grasshopper　or　a　June…bug？〃　asked　Prince　Marvel。

〃No；　but　the　people　are　too　frightened　to　oppose　him；　and　so　he　does　not　get　the　opportunity。　　And　he　has　an　army　of　fierce　soldiers；　who　are　accustomed　to　beat　the　people　terribly　if　they　do　not　carry　every　bit　of　their　wealth　to　the　sorcerer。　　So　there　is　no　choice　but　to　obey　him。〃

〃We　certainly　ought　to　hang　this　wicked　creature！〃　exclaimed　Wul…Takim。

〃I　wish　I　had　brought　my　Fool…Killer　with　me；〃　sighed　King　Terribus；　〃for　I　could　have　kept　him　quite　busy　in　this　kingdom。〃

〃Can　not　something　be　done　to　rescue　these　poor　people　from　their　sad　fate？〃　asked　the　lovely　High　Ki；　anxiously。

〃We　will　make　a　call　upon　this　Kwytoffle　to…morrow；〃　answered　Prince　Marvel；　〃and　see　what　the　fellow　is　like。〃

〃Alas！　　Alas！〃　wailed　the　good　farmer；　〃you　will　all　become　grasshoppers　and　June…bugsevery　one　of　you！〃

But　none　of　the　party　seemed　to　fear　that；　and　having　passed　the　night　comfortably　with　the　farmer　they　left　his　house　and　journeyed　on　into　the　Kingdom　of　Auriel。

Before　noon　they　came　upon　the　edge　of　a　forest；　where　a　poor　man　was　chopping　logs　into　firewood。　　Seeing　Prince　Marvel's　party　approach；　this　man　ran　toward　them　waving　his　hands　and　shouting　excitedly：

〃Take　the　other　path！　　Take　the　other　path！〃

〃And　why　should　we　take　the　other　path？〃　inquired　the　prince；　reining　in　his　steed。

〃Because　this　one　leads　to　the　castle　of　the　great　sorcerer；　Kwytoffle；〃　answered　the　man。

〃But　there　is　where　we　wish　to　go；〃　said　Marvel。

〃What！　　You　wish　to　go　there？〃　cried　the　man。　　〃Then　you　will　be　robbed　and　enslaved！〃

〃Not　as　long　as　we　are　able　to　fight；〃　laughed　the　big　Wul…Takim。

〃If　you　resist　the　sorcerer；　you　will　be　turned　into　grasshoppers　and　June…bugs；〃　declared　the　man；　staring　at　them　in　wonder。

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　asked　Marvel。

〃Kwytoffle　says　so。　　He　promises　to　enchant　every　one　who　dares　defy　his　power。〃

〃Has　any　one　ever　yet　dared　defy　him？〃　asked　Nerle。

〃Certainly　not！〃　said　the　man。　　〃No　one　wishes　to　become　a　June…bug　or　a　grasshopper。　　No　one　dares　defy　him。〃。

〃I　am　anxious　to　see　this　sorcerer；〃　exclaimed　King　Terribus。　　〃He　ought　to　prove　an　interesting　person；　for　he　is　able　to　accomplish　his　purposes　by　threats　alone。〃

〃Then　let　us　ride　on；〃　said　Marvel。

〃Dear　us！　　Dear　us！〃　remonstrated　the　bald…headed　Ki；　〃are　we　to　become　grasshoppers；　then？〃

〃We　shall　see；〃　returned　the　prince；　briefly。

〃With　your　long　legs；〃　added　the　pretty　pair　of　High　Ki；　laughingly；　〃you　ought　to　be　able　to　jump　farther　than　any　other　grasshopper　in　the　kingdom。〃

〃Great　Kika…koo！〃　cried　the　Ki；　nervously；　〃what　a　fate！　what　a　terrible　fate！　　And　your　Highnesses；　I　suppose；　will　become　June…bugs；　and　flutter　your　wings　with　noises　like　buzz…saws！〃



21。　　The　Wonderful　Book　of　Magic


Whatever　their　fears　might　be；　none　of　Prince　Marvel's　party　hesitated　to　follow　him　along　the　path　through　the　forest　in　search　of　the　sorcerer；　and　by　and　by　they　came　upon　a　large　clearing。　　In　the　middle　of　this　open　space　was　a　big　building　in　such　bad　repair　that　its　walls　were　tumbling　down　in　several　places；　and　all　around　it　the　ground　was　uncared　for　and　littered　with　rubbish。　　A　man　was　walking　up　and　down　in　front　of　this　building；　with　his　head　bowed　low；　but　when　he　hear